Environmental and Chemical
Factors
Assignment Cognitive
Studies Capstone
Instructor: Joanna
Savarese-Levine
Mollijoy Carter
Feb.3,2014
Running Head: Environmental and Chemical Factors
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“More than 24 million children in the United
States are aged five and below (U.S. Census
Bureau, 2000). And for all those children, no
variable regarding their well-being and overall
social behavior is more important than the
environment in which they develop and grow.”
Environmental Influences on Young Children's Behavior By T.J. Zirpoli, Pearson Allyn
Bacon Prentice Hall Updated on Jul 20, 2010
U.S. Census Bureau, 2000
Running Head: Environmental and Chemical Factors
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Q: How does environmental and
neurochemical factors impact
behavior?
A:The environment and neurotransmitters play a
significant role in the way a child behaves, learns,
emotions displays, and sleeps, and some play a
role in mental illnesses. The environment and the
people in that environment can shape a child's
behavior.
Running Head: Environmental and Chemical Factors
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What is the relationship between the various
neurotransmitters, and what do they do?
Dopamine Acetylcholine – involved in voluntary movement, learning, memory, and sleep
Too much acetylcholine is associated with depression, and too little in the
hippocampus has been associated with dementia.
Dopamine – correlated with movement, attention, and learning
Too much dopamine has been associated with schizophrenia, and too little is
associated with some forms of depression as well as the muscular rigidity and tremors
found in Parkinson’s disease.
Norepinephrine – associated with eating, alertness
Too little norepinephrine has been associated with depression, while an excess has
been associated with schizophrenia.
Epinephrine – involved in energy, and glucose metabolism
Too little epinephrine has been associated with depression.
Serotonin – plays a role in mood, sleep, appetite, and impulsive and aggressive behavior
Too little serotonin is associated with depression and some anxiety disorders,
especially obsessive-compulsive disorder. Some antidepressant medications increase the
availability of serotonin at the receptor sites.
GABA - (Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid) – inhibits excitation and anxiety
Too little GABA is associated with anxiety and anxiety disorders. Some antianxiety
medication increases GABA at the receptor sites.
Endorphins – involved in pain relief and feelings of pleasure and contentedness
Running Head: Environmental and Chemical Factors
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Q: What is the relationship between these neurochemical and environmental
factors?
A: Young children are exposed to a variety of environmental variables that place
them at risk for antisocial behavior.
Poverty
Has the most significant impact on children's overall well-being, academic success,
and social behavior. Unfortunately, children suffer the highest poverty rates of any
age group in America (Lynch, 2004). A family's income plays a significant role in the
type of basic care a child receives. According to a study by the Illinois State Board of
Education (2001), poverty is the single greatest predictor of academic and social
failure in U.S. schools.
Single-Parent Families
Usually have an inability to secure affordable and accessible child care, low parental
literacy levels, limited transportation options that make if difficult for parents to
commute to available jobs, disincentives that strip government benefits from
families when they become employed and earn wages, parental substance abuse,
domestic violence, a parental history of incarceration preventing them from
securing a job, and, a parental history of mental health disabilities—especially
depression.
"children in single-parent families are at increased risk for academic failure;
increased likelihood of dropping out of high school or becoming a teen parent; and
increased levels of depression, stress, anxiety, and aggression" (Casey Foundation,
2005, p. 52).
Running Head: Environmental and Chemical Factors
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Environmental factors cont.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
First introduced in 1973 by Kenneth Jones and David Smith at the School of Medicine, University of
Washington, the term fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) refers to the consumption of too much alcohol
by the mother during pregnancy. It is one of the leading preventable causes of disabilities in young
children (Fritz, 2000). May and Gossage (2005)
The long-term detrimental consequences on these children may include permanent
neurobehavioral and affective disorders and many other developmental disabilities (Randall, 2001).
Fritz (2000) lists the following problems associated with children exposed to excessive alcohol in
utero:
•central nervous system abnormalities,
•impaired motor skills,
•behavior and cognitive abnormalities, and
•various physical problems, including heart abnormalities, scoliosis, and hearing impairments.
Babies Born Premature and/or Dysmature
Infants born premature and/or dysmature are likely to be especially challenging for parents because
of frequent crying, poor sleeping patterns, difficult to feed and, in general, to comfort.
A full-term pregnancy is between 37 and 41 weeks. Babies born 37 weeks or less after conception
are considered preterm or premature. Those born between 35 and 37 weeks generally do well.
Those born before 32 weeks are at risk for a variety of medical and developmental disabilities
(Brown, 2004)
Schonfeld, Mattson, Lang, Delis, and Riley (2001) documented significant deficits in verbal and nonverbal fluency among children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure.
Running Head: Environmental and Chemical Factors
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Environmental factors cont.
Lead poisoning
The most common sources of lead poisoning today include lead-based paint found in older
homes; lead-laden dust and soil found around old buildings; and lead-based materials such
as old plumbing systems, which affect water supplies (Enders et al., 2002). Interestingly,
children absorb about half the lead they ingest, while adults absorb only 10%. In addition
to their greater absorption rate, young children are at greatest risk from lead poisoning
"because of the impact on (their) developing central nervous system" (Enders et al., 2002,
p. 20). Children who have elevated lead levels demonstrate a variety of problems, including
developmental disabilities and behavioral difficulties.
Child Maltreatment
Child Maltreatment is the ultimate example of a dysfunctional interaction between
caregivers and the children in their care. The study of child maltreatment allows
researchers to understand the many and interacting variables associated with caregiverchild relationships and interaction patterns. These variables include social and cultural
factors, environmental factors, characteristics of the caregiver (parent or early educator),
and the characteristics of the child or victim (see Zirpoli, 1990, for a complete review of
each of these factors).
Running Head: Environmental and Chemical Factors
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Q: How do these environmental and neurochemical factors use the
classroom for support?
A: Teacher interaction There has been allot of research focused on the
associations between interactive processes of early childhood classrooms and
gains in children’s cognitive self-regulation across the preschool year. A study
was done were children were collected at fall and spring of the preschool year,
and classroom observations were conducted three times throughout the year.
Multilevel models tested associations between classroom behaviors of
teachers and students using the Classroom Observation in Preschool and the
Teacher Observation in Preschool and gains children made in a preschool year.
“both affective and cognitive classroom processes were associated with gains.
More teacher behavior approving, less disapproving, and more positive
emotional tone were associated with gains. The proportion of observed time
teachers spent delivering instruction as well as the proportion of time children
were involved with mathematics and literacy were also related to gains, as was
the quality of teacher instruction. Although exploratory, these results highlight
the potential for modifications in classroom practices to aid in children’s
development.”
Cognitive and Affective Development in the Context of Classroom-Level Curriculum Development.Author(s):Shawer, Saad Fathy ; Gilmore,
Deanna ; Banks-Joseph, Susan Rae.Source:Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, v8 n1 p1-28 Feb 2008. 28 pp
Running Head: Environmental and Chemical Factors
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Q: Cont. How do these environmental and neurochemical factors
use the classroom for support? Cont.
Teacher curriculum
“The impact of teacher curriculum approaches (curriculumtransmitter/curriculum-developer/curriculum-maker) on student cognitive
change (reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities) and their affective
change (motivation and interests). This study's conceptual framework was
grounded in teacher curriculum development”
The results indicated that classroom-level curriculum development improved
student learning and motivation; whilst curriculum-transmission did not result in
significant student learning or increase their motivation.
Indiana University. 755 West Michigan Street UL 1180D, Indianapolis, IN 46202. Tel: 317-274-5647; Fax: 317-278-2360; e-mail:
josotl@iupui.edu; Web site: http://www.iupui.edu/~josotl.Journal Code:OCT2009.Entry Date:2009.Accession
Number:EJ854820.Database: ERIC..
Running Head: Environmental and Chemical Factors
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In conclusion, a child's well being and social
environment impacts behavior, learning, emotions,
sleeping, eating and mental well being.
Although poverty, single parent homes, environmental
exposures such as alcohol, drugs, and environmental
positioning's like lead and smoking also, How well a child
eats will contribute to the wellness thriving and learning.
As parents and educators we can help influence positive
behavior by the words we choose, curriculum, and
positive modeling behaviors. When a child associates
learning and home with positive interactions and
environment, a child can learn more and do more as an
adult, this way everyone is successful.
Running Head: Environmental and Chemical Factors
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Bibliography references
Preschool classroom processes as predictors of children’s cognitive
self-regulation skills development..Authors :Fuhs, Mary Wagner,
Peabody Research Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, US
Ashford on line library Pages:2 Journal Database: ERIC..
Student Cognitive and Affective Development in the Context of
Classroom-Level Curriculum Development. Author(s):Shawer, Saad
Fathy ; Gilmore, Deanna ; Banks-Joseph, Susan Rae.Source:Journal of
the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, v8 n1 p1-28 Feb 2008. 28 pp.
Environmental influences on behavior By T.J. Zirpol Pearson Allyn
Bacon Prentice Hall Updated on Jul 20, 2010
Both Environment and Genetic Makeup Influence Behavior By: Michael
D. Breed (Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of
Colorado at Boulder) & Leticia Sanchez (Department of Ecology &
Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder) 2012